Facilities

WORCESTER (MA)— As the state has slashed social services and laid off employees to deal with a severe fiscal crisis, the trial court system has been spending about $700 a day to heat an otherwise vacant 163-year-old courthouse to keep the dwindling number of patrons of a small law library warm in the winter.

To get to the public law library in the deserted old Superior Courthouse, a visitor must pass through a metal detector manned by a security guard.

Once inside the overstuffed library, tucked in a remote corner of the cavernous 19th-century building, the first thing many who enter the warren of small rooms notice is a blast of hot air from the antiquated heating system.

Since September 2007, taxpayers have shelled out more than $124,000 on heating oil to warm the little-used repository of books, documents and computer terminals in the library, the last remaining occupant of the crumbling edifice at 2 Main Street. More from the Worcester Telegram.

The Penticton (BC) Public Library has served the community for almost a century and in these changing times, it needs to grow.

Established in 1909 with a stock of 500 books, its collection now totals about 120,000 including DVDs and audio books.“People like their books,” says chief librarian Larry Little. “People like their public libraries. Libraries are the one democratic institution that is freely available for everybody. We have 17,000 people registered.”

BC Local News reports: “The real key for us is building for the future,” said Little, and plans have been in the works for a long time. “Ten years ago, the library approached city council about expansions to this facility. At that time the museum was included. We had a meeting here in November 1998 to show council just how desperate the library and museum were for space,” said Little.

From that, council agreed to put money towards development of a concept plan, the first draft of which was completed in November 2003.
“Where we are at right now in 2008, we’re asking council for funds to do detailed planning — about $125,000 for the library and museum complex.” “This will be the fourth year we’re asking,” said Little. “This is an old building and the infrastructure is in need of revitalization.”

Here's some Alaska library news that does NOT mention Governor Sarah Palin.

KENAI, AK — Almost anyone who’s ever picked up and changed their address knows that once the refrigerator and the hide-a-bed are in the moving van, the next items challenging the musculoskeletal features of the human body are the heavy boxes of books.

That same truth applies when answering why plans for the new public library expansion in Kenai do not include a basement. More from Newsminer.

Bizjournals: The City of St. Louis Municipal Library District board is looking for a new architect and has increased by 40 percent the estimated cost of the historic renovation project at 1301 Olive Street.

Financing is still in the development stage. Construction will cost $45 million, and $25 million will go toward interest, architectural fees, professional fees, reserves and contingencies. The 17-branch library system, which is funded by tax revenue, will seek a mixture of tax-exempt bonds, state and federal historic tax credits and grants, and New Markets Tax Credits. The system’s private foundation also will seek funding from individuals and corporations.

“We do face the challenge that this is a new competitor for private philanthropy in St. Louis, but I think when people are aware of what it is, civic pride will take over,” said Tom Schlafly, an attorney with Husch Blackwell Sanders, who is on the library board and co-chair of its foundation.

A very very big challenge, will it be met? Any LISNewsers from St. Louis and if so, what are your thoughts?

Workers last week toppled the brick walls on the first floor of the Hemphill Wells Building, opening the interior to the elements and giving a glimpse into what the new library will look like when completed more than a year from now.

"It's quite different to look at," said Library Director Larry Justiss. "That came down fast. There was just a skin left after the asbestos people got through. A good wind could have blown it over." The library's designs call for a ground floor enclosed entirely in glass, though it will be a few more months before those working inside get any relief from the winter weather.

Construction work, delayed by the discovery of asbestos in the abandoned department store, began in earnest last month and is expected to continue until spring 2010.

What's important in a library? Sometimes, it's not only the books, DVDs and computers...

The Roxbury VT Library, a beloved small-town gathering place since 1923, had no restrooms. When nature called, patrons young and old either had to hold it, do their business next door at the Roxbury Union Congregational Church or go home.

Never mind that the library has such modern conveniences as wireless Internet access. "I used to say `We're the Wi-Fi library without a pot to p--- in,'" said library director Susan D'Amico.

According to legend, the Brand Library in Glendale is haunted. The building -- (pictured in this LA Times Blog in a vintage postcard)-- was completed in 1904 as the home of developer Leslie Coombs Brand, who lived -- and, on April 10, 1925, died -- there. Twenty-one years later it became a library, as his will had stipulated.

But something wasn't right with Brand; according to legend, it's his ghost that haunts the premises. Stories are passed on of a voice saying, "Joe" (or "Go!"), of a shadowy male figure ascending the stairs, of a presence in the tower, of the feeling, when standing near his portrait, of being watched.

It was the third time in four years that the library has suffered during fall rains. "It seems like every year around this time," said Kyle Hamada, conservation librarian at the University of Hawaii's Hamilton Library.

About a year ago, Hamilton Library suffered about $500,000 worth of damage when thousands of books and rare documents were wrecked by heavy rain.

This time, says a report from the Honolulu Advertiser, the flooding was apparently caused by repair work debris that clogged drain pipes. The library continues to recover from damage caused in 2004 during flooding on Halloween.